The present invention relates to human G-CSF receptor agonists with activity on hematopoietic cell differentiation and expansion.
The human blood-forming (hematopoietic) system replaces a variety of white blood cells (including neutrophils, macrophages, and basophils/mast cells), red blood cells (erythrocytes) and clot-forming cells (megakaryocytes/platelets). The hematopoietic systems of the average male has been estimated to produce on the order of 4.5xc3x971011 granulocytes and erythrocytes every year, which is equivalent to an annual replacement of total body weight (Dexter et al., BioEssays, 2;154-158, 1985).
It is believed that small amounts of certain hematopoietic growth factors account for the differentiation of a small number of progenitor xe2x80x9cstem cellsxe2x80x9d into the variety of blood cell lines, for the tremendous proliferation of those lines, and for the ultimate differentiation of mature blood cells from those lines. Because the hematopoietic growth factors are present in extremely small amounts, the detection and identification of these factors has relied upon an array of assays which as yet only distinguish among the different factors on the basis of stimulative effects on cultured cells under artificial conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,291 discloses DNA and methods for making G-CSF the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in it entirety.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,643 relates to DNA and methods of making G-CSF and Cys to Ser substitution variants of G-CSF.
Kuga et al. (Biochem.+Biophys. Res. Comm. 159:103-111, 1989) made a series of G-CSF variants to partially define the structure-function relationship. Kuga et al. found that internal and C-terminal deletions abolished activity, while N-terminal deletions of up to 11 amino acids and amino acid substitutions at positions 1, 2 and 3 were active.
Watanabe et al. (Anal. Biochem. 195:38-44, 1991) made a variant to study G-CSF receptor binding in which amino acids 1 and 3 were changed to Tyr for radioiodination of the protein. Watanabe et al. found this Tyr1, Tyr3 G-CSF variant to be active.
WO 95/27732 describes, but does not show that the molecule has biological activity, a circularly permuted G-CSF ligand with a breakpoint at positions 68/69 creating a circularly permuted G-CSF ligand with a new N-terminus at the original position 69 of G-CSF and a new C-terminus at the original position 68 of G-CSF. WO 95/27732 also discloses circularly permuted GM-CSF, IL-2 and IL-4.
Rearrangement of Protein Sequences
In evolution, rearrangements of DNA sequences serve an important role in generating a diversity of protein structure and function. Gene duplication and exon shuffling provide an important mechanism to rapidly generate diversity and thereby provide organisms with a competitive advantage, especially since the basal mutation rate is low (Doolittle, Protein Science 1:191-200, 1992).
The development of recombinant DNA methods has made it possible to study the effects of sequence transposition on protein folding, structure and function. The approach used in creating new sequences resembles that of naturally occurring pairs of proteins that are related by linear reorganization of their amino acid sequences (Cunningham, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76:3218-3222, 1979; Teather and Erfle, J. Bacteriol. 172: 3837-3841, 1990; Schimming et al., Eur. J. Biochem. 204: 13-19, 1992; Yamiuchi and Minamikawa, FEBS Lett. 260:127-130, 1991: MacGregor et al., FEBS Lett. 378:263-266, 1996). The first in vitro application of this type of rearrangement to proteins was described by Goldenberg and Creighton (J. Mol. Biol. 165:407-413, 1983). A new N-terminus is selected at an internal site (breakpoint) of the original sequence, the new sequence having the same order of amino acids as the original from the breakpoint until it reaches an amino acid that is at or near the original C-terminus. At this point the new sequence is joined, either directly or through an additional portion of sequence (linker), to an amino acid that is at or near the original N-terminus, and the new sequence continues with the same sequence as the original until it reaches a point that is at or near the amino acid that was N-terminal to the breakpoint site of the original sequence, this residue forming the new C-terminus of the chain.
This approach has been applied to proteins which range in size from 58 to 462 amino acids (Goldenberg and Creighton, J. Mol. Biol. 165:407-413, 1983; Li and Coffino, Mol. Cell. Biol. 13:2377-2383, 1993). The proteins examined have represented a broad range of structural classes, including proteins that contain predominantly xcex1-helix (interleukin-4; Kreitman et al., Cytokine 7:311-318, 1995), xcex2-sheet (interleukin-1; Horlick et al., Protein Eng. 5:427-431, 1992), or mixtures of the two (yeast phosphoribosyl anthranilate isomerase; Luger et al., Science 243:206-210, 1989). Broad categories of protein function are represented in these sequence reorganization studies:
The results of these studies have been highly variable. In many cases substantially lower activity, solubility or thermodynamic stability were observed (E. coli dihydrofolate reductase, aspartate transcarbamoylase, phosphoribosyl anthranilate isomerase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, ornithine decarboxylase, omp A, yeast phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase). In other cases, the sequence rearranged protein appeared to have many nearly identical properties as its natural counterpart (basic pancreatic trying inhibitor, T4 lysozyme, ribonuclease T1, Bacillus-xcex2glucanase, interleukin-1xcex2 xcex1-spectrin SH3 domain, pepsinogen, interleukin-4). In exceptional cases, an unexpected improvement over some properties of the natural sequence was observed, e.g., the solubility and refolding rate for rearranged xcex1-spectrin SH3 domain sequences, and the receptor affinity and anti-tumor activity of transposed interleukin-4-Pseudomonas exotoxin fusion molecule (Kreitman et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 91:6889-6893, 1994; Kreitman et al., Cancer Res. 55:3357-3363, 1995).
The primary motivation for these types of studies has been to study the role of short-range and long-range interactions in protein folding and stability. Sequence rearrangements of this type convert a subset of interactions that are long-range in the original sequence into short-range interactions in the new sequence, and vice versa. The fact that many of these sequence rearrangements are able to attain a conformation with at least some activity is persuasive evidence that protein folding occurs by multiple folding pathways (Viguera, et al., J. Mol. Biol. 247:670-681, 1995). In the case of the SH3 domain of xcex1-spectrin, choosing new termini at locations that corresponded to xcex2-hairpin turns resulted in proteins with slightly less stability, but which were nevertheless able to fold.
The positions of the internal breakpoints used in the studies cited here are found exclusively on the surface of proteins, and are distributed throughout the linear sequence without any obvious bias towards the ends or the middle (the variation in the relative distance from the original N-terminus to the breakpoint is ca. 10 to 80% of the total sequence length). The linkers connecting the original N- and C-termini in these studies have ranged from 0 to 9 residues. In one case (Yang and Schachman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90:11980-11984, 1993), a portion of sequence has been deleted from the original C-terminal segment, and the connection made from the truncated C-terminus to the original N-terminus. Flexible hydrophilic residues such as Gly and Ser are frequently used in the linkers. Viguera, et al.(J. Mol. Biol. 247:670-681, 1995) compared joining the original N- and C- termini with 3- or 4-residue linkers; the 3-residue linker was less thermodynamically stable. Protasova et al. (Protein Eng. 7:1373-1377, 1994) used 3- or 5-residue linkers in connecting the original N-termini of E. coli dihydrofolate reductase; only the 3-residue linker produced protein in good yield.
The modified human G-CSF receptor agonists of the present invention can be represented by the Formula:
X1xe2x80x94(L)axe2x80x94X2
wherein;
a is 0 or 1;
X1 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence corresponding to the sequence of residues n+1 through J;
X2 is a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence corresponding to the sequence of residues 1 through n;
n is an integer ranging from 1 to J-1; and
L is a linker.
In the formula above the constituent amino acids residues of human G-CSF are numbered sequentially 1 through J from the amino to the carboxyl terminus. A pair of adjacent amino acids within this protein may be numbered n and n+1 respectively where n is an integer ranging from 1 to J-1. The residue n+1 becomes the new N-terminus of the new G-CSF receptor agonist and the residue n becomes the new C-terminus of the new G-CSF receptor agonist.
The present invention relates to novel G-CSF receptor agonists of the following formula:
wherein
Xaa at position 1 is Thr, Ser, Arg, Tyr or Gly;
Xaa at position 2 is Pro or Leu;
Xaa at position 3 is Leu, Arg, Tyr or Ser;
Xaa at position 13 is Phe, Ser, His, Thr or Pro;
Xaa at position 16 is Lys, Pro, Ser, Thr or His;
Xaa at position 17 is Cys, Ser, Gly, Ala, Ile, Tyr or Arg;
Xaa at position 18 is Leu, Thr, Pro, His, Ile or Cys;
Xaa at position 22 is Arg, Tyr, Ser, Thr or Ala;
Xaa at position 24 is Ile, Pro, Tyr or Leu;
Xaa at position 27 is Asp, or Gly;
Xaa at position 30 is Ala, Ile, Leu or Gly;
Xaa at position 34 is Lys or Ser;
Xaa at position 36 is Cys or Ser;
Xaa at position 42 is Cys or Ser;
Xaa at position 43 is His, Thr, Gly, Val, Lys, Trp, Ala, Arg, Cys, or Leu;
Xaa at position 44 is Pro, Gly, Arg, Asp, Val, Ala, His, Trp, Gln, or Thr;
Xaa at position 46 is Glu, Arg, Phe, Arg, Ile or Ala;
Xaa at position 47 is Leu or Thr;
Xaa at position 49 is Leu, Phe, Arg or Ser;
Xaa at position 50 is Leu, Ile, His, Pro or Tyr;
Xaa at position 54 is Leu or His;
Xaa at position 64 is Cys or Ser;
Xaa at position 67 is Gln, Lys, Leu or Cys;
Xaa at position 70 is Gln, Pro, Leu, Arg or Ser;
Xaa at position 74 is Cys or Ser;
Xaa at position 104 is Asp, Gly or Val;
Xaa at position 108 is Leu, Ala, Val, Arg, Trp, Gln or Gly;
Xaa at position 115 is Thr, His, Leu or Ala;
Xaa at position 120 is Gln, Gly, Arg, Lys or His
Xaa at position 123 is Glu, Arg, Phe or Thr
Xaa at position 144 is Phe, His, Arg, Pro, Leu, Gln or Glu;
Xaa at position 146 is Arg or Gln;
Xaa at position 147 is Arg or Gln;
Xaa at position 156 is His, Gly or Ser.
Xaa at position 159 is Ser, Arg, Thr, Tyr, Val or Gly;
Xaa at position 162 is Glu, Leu, Gly or Trp;
Xaa at position 163 is Val, Gly, Arg or Ala;
Xaa at position 169 is Arg, Ser, Leu, Arg or Cys;
Xaa at position 170 is His, Arg or Ser;
wherein optionally 1-11 amino acids from the N-terminus and 1-5 from the C-terminus can be deleted; and
wherein the N-terminus is joined to the C-terminus directly or through a linker capable of joining the N-terminus to the C-terminus and having new C- and N-termini at amino acids;
The G-CSF receptor agonists of the present invention may contain amino acid substitutions, deletions and/or insertions and may also have amino acid deletions at either/or both the N- and C- termini.
The more preferred breakpoints at which new C-terminus and N-terminus can be made are; 38-39, 39-40, 40-41, 41-42, 48-49, 53-54, 54-55, 55-56, 56-57, 57-58, 58-59, 59-60, 60-61, 61-62, 62-63, 64-65, 65-66, 66-67, 67-68, 68-69, 69-70, 96-97, 125-126, 126-127, 127-128, 128-129, 129-130, 130-131, 131-132, 132-133, 133-134, 134-135, 135-136, 136-137, 137-138, 138-139, 139-140, 140-141 and 141-142.
The most preferred breakpoints at which new C-terminus and N-terminus can be made are; 38-39, 48-49, 96-97, 125-126, 132-133 and 141-142.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention the linker (L) joining the N-terminus to the C-terminus is a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of:
GlyGlyGlySer (SEQ ID NO:2);
GlyGlyGlySerGlyGlyGlySer (SEQ ID NO:61);
GlyGlyGlySerGlyGlyGlySerGlyGlyGlySer (SEQ ID NO:62);
SerGlyGlySerGlyGlySer (SEQ ID NO:63);
GluPheGlyAsnMet (SEQ ID NO:64);
GluPheGlyGlyAsnMet (SEQ ID NO:65);
GluPheGlyGlyAsnGlyGlyAsnMet (SEQ ID NO:66); and
GlyGlySerAspMetAlaGly (SEQ ID NO:67).
The present invention also includes a human G-CSF receptor agonist polypeptide, comprising a modified G-CSF amino acid sequence of the Formula:
wherein
Xaa at position 1 is Thr, Ser, Arg, Tyr or Gly;
Xaa at position 2 is Pro or Leu;
Xaa at position 3 is Leu, Arg, Tyr or Ser;
Xaa at position 13 is Phe, Ser, His, Thr or Pro;
Xaa at position 16 is Lys, Pro, Ser, Thr or His;
Xaa at position 17 is Cys, Ser, Gly, Ala, Ile, Tyr or Arg;
Xaa at position 18 is Leu, Thr, Pro, His, Ile or Cys;
Xaa at position 22 is Arg, Tyr, Ser, Thr or Ala;
Xaa at position 24 is Ile, Pro, Tyr or Leu;
Xaa at position 27 is Asp, or Gly;
Xaa at position 30 is Ala, Ile, Leu or Gly;
Xaa at position 34 is Lys or Ser;
Xaa at position 36 is Cys or Ser;
Xaa at position 42 is Cys or Ser;
Xaa at position 43 is His, Thr, Gly, Val, Lys, Trp, Ala, Arg, Cys, or Leu;
Xaa at position 44 is Pro, Gly, Arg, Asp, Val, Ala, His, Trp, Gln, or Thr;
Xaa at position 46 is Glu, Arg, Phe, Arg, Ile or Ala;
Xaa at position 47 is Leu or Thr;
Xaa at position 49 is Leu, Phe, Arg or Ser;
Xaa at position 50 is Leu, Ile, His, Pro or Tyr;
Xaa at position 54 is Leu or His;
Xaa at position 64 is Cys or Ser;
Xaa at position 67 is Gln, Lys, Leu or Cys;
Xaa at position 70 is Gln, Pro, Leu, Arg or Ser;
Xaa at position 74 is Cys or Ser;
Xaa at position 104 is Asp, Gly or Val;
Xaa at position 108 is Leu, Ala, Val, Arg, Trp, Gln or Gly;
Xaa at position 115 is Thr, His, Leu or Ala;
Xaa at position 120 is Gln, Gly, Arg, Lys or His
Xaa at position 123 is Glu, Arg, Phe or Thr
Xaa at position 144 is Phe, His, Arg, Pro, Leu, Gln or Glu;
Xaa at position 146 is Arg or Gln;
Xaa at position 147 is Arg or Gln;
Xaa at position 156 is His, Gly or Ser;
Xaa at position 159 is Ser, Arg, Thr, Tyr, Val or Gly;
Xaa at position 162 is Glu, Leu, Gly or Trp;
Xaa at position 163 is Val, Gly, Arg or Ala;
Xaa at position 169 is Arg, Ser, Leu, Arg or Cys;
Xaa at position 170 is His, Arg or Ser;
wherein optionally 1-11 amino acids from the N-terminus and 1-5 from the C-terminus can be deleted;
wherein the N-terminus is joined to the C-terminus directly or through a linker capable of joining the N-terminus to the C-terminus and having new C- and N-terminus at amino acids;.
2-3
10-11
12-13
18-19
122-123
158-159
169-170.
The present invention also encompasses recombinant human G-CSF receptor agonists co-administered or sequentially with one or more additional colony stimulating factors (CSF) including, cytokines, lymphokines, interleukins, hematopoietic growth factors which include but are not limited to GM-CSF, c-mpl ligand (also known as TPO or MGDF), M-CSF, erythropoietin (EPO), IL-1, IL-4, IL-2, IL-3, IL-5, IL 6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-9, IL-10, IL-11, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, LIF, flt3/flk2 ligand, human growth hormone, B-cell growth factor, B-cell differentiation factor, eosinophil differentiation factor and stem cell factor (SCF) also known as steel factor or c-kit ligand (herein collectively referred to as xe2x80x9ccolony stimulating factorsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cCSFxe2x80x9d). These co-administered mixtures may be characterized by having the usual activity of both of the peptides or the mixture may be further characterized by having a biological or physiological activity greater than simply the additive function of the presence of the G-CSF receptor agonists or the second colony stimulating factor alone. The co-administration may also provide an enhanced effect on the activity or an activity different from that expected by the presence of the G-CSF ligand or the second colony stimulating factor. The co-administration may also have an improved activity profile which may include reduction of undesirable biological activities associated with native human G-CSF. In addition to the list above, IL-3 variants taught in WO 94/12639 and WO 94/12638 can be co-administered with the polypeptides of the present invention.
In addition, it is envisioned that in vitro uses would include the ability to stimulate bone marrow and blood cell activation and growth before the expanded cells are infused into patients.